There’s no better way to sample the ethos of a destination than to take a contemplative tour through its art scene . When you do so in Sedona, Arizona , pack comfortable walking shoes—hiking boots, too—because there’s miles and miles to roam, some of which are off-road. With 80-plus art galleries , art-inspired festivals and events happening year-round, and heritage sites that exhibit the ancient art of the area’s earliest inhabitants, it’s clearer than the sparkling streams of Oak Creek—Sedona inspires creativity. It makes sense that Sedona’s roots came from ranching since Oak Creek and the nearby Verde River provided early settlers with abundant irrigation, but the pioneers were drawn to this rugged place for more than its perennial water source. Beyond its verdant valleys, rubiginous rock faces and formations stimulated the imaginations of these providential people and, just as cloud formations might, yielded picturesque names like Chimney Rock, Coffee Pot Rock, Cathedral Roc
A collection of writing samples by Lesley Kontowicz